HBCU baseball all-stars will be featured at the mid-summer classic.
The HBCU Swingman Classic, presented by T-Mobile & powered by the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, will feature a game between HBCU’s best at the Division I level. The game will take place at 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET on Friday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, the site of the 2023 All-Star Game. The contest will air live on MLB Network.
Del Matthews, MLB vice president for player development and Texas Southern alum, said during a roster reveal for the event on MLB Network, was excited that Black college baseball players would be recognized at one of the game’s showcase events.
Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who led the way in the creation of the HBCU game, said the event gives players “an opportunity for these guys to be seen.”
Introducing the roster for the inaugural HBCU Swingman Classic presented by @TMobile & powered by the @Baseball_YDF ⚾️🔥 pic.twitter.com/kODXwxDZLj
— MLBDevelops (@MLBDevelops) June 9, 2023
“It gives an opportunity for these guys to be seen; plus, they want to continue their baseball career like everybody else,” Griffey said. “This is an opportunity for these guys to be out there on a big stage, to have some fun with some guys who played the game at a high level and learn some things.”
Griffey acknowledged not every player in the contest will end up being drafted or playing Major League Baseball. But he offered a reminder that there are other opportunities to still be involved in the sport.
“You can always stay in the game that you love and help the next generation,” Griffey said.
Dawson and Ken Griffey Sr. will be among the coaches for the teams, as will plenty of HBCU alumni who reached the Majors, including Southern great Rickie Weeks, Marquis Grissom and Vince Coleman. Former Major League managers Jerry Manuel and Bo Porter will manage the teams.
Courtesy: MLB.com
